Russell Leadbetter's verdict: 4 stars

It is, indeed, better to burn out than to fade away. Neil Young's first show in Glasgow with Crazy Horse since 2001 was an exhilarating event, old and much-loved songs from his formidable back catalogue being thrown into the mix alongside newer songs. Predictable it wasn't.

The fourth song in, Walk Like A Giant, from his latest album, Psychedelic Pill, was a pulverising, 20-minute long affair. The last 10 minutes were a sheer cacophony of noise, Young fluttering his fingers against the strings of his Gibson guitar; it sounded like a submarine coming apart at the seams under the waves. It was a trifle self-indulgent, but a gripping sight, nonetheless.

The contrast with the songs that followed could not have been greater - a gentle, mid-tempo new offering, Hole in the Sky (the Woodstock festival logo on the screen behind the band); then Young's solo acoustic-guitar-and-harmonica of Heart of Gold, the audience singing along, their camera phones like fireflies in the darkness.

Young then did an expressive reading of Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind, which in turn was followed by another poignant new song, Singer Without A Song (to underline the point, a lone woman clutching a guitar case wandered distractedly around the stage).

Young, more often than not clustered in front of Ralph Molina's drum kit with guitarist Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro and bassist Billy Talbot - four defiantly against the world - also delivered barnstorming versions of Powderfinger, Ramada Inn, Cinnamon Girl, Mr Soul and a particularly thunderous Hey, Hey, My, My.

Young is 67 but shows little inclination to age gracefully.